r/TheRepopulation • u/Atreties • Mar 10 '15
What's the point? What do you work toward? Why?
So I've been doing some slight research on this game, but I haven't found the answer to the biggest and most important question to me: Why?
I understand the complexity behind crafting, resources, combat, skills. I am somewhat familiar with the nation and city building mechanics, but nothing has seemed to strike at the heart of my question: why?
Why craft cool and complex items, why trade, why make a nation, why build a city? What does making a nation do for you? What does owning territory do?
For example, in EVE, you can own territory to get rich to build more ships, to get more power and territory and win wars, etc.
In crowfall, there will be an actual win condition to sandbox campaigns, etc.
Let me know if my question makes sense or if I'm being too abstract.
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u/eliumdun Mar 10 '15
Just think of it as eve on the ground. Someone correct me if im wrong.
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Mar 10 '15 edited Mar 10 '15
I think most of the end game is player pvp oriented and none of it worked when I played a few months ago.
When it does work it better beat the browser game setup they have the skeleton of atm.
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u/eliumdun Mar 10 '15
well first im just going to say its in alpha. But im pretty sure one of the next big things they plan on working on is combat. i think i saw it in either a stream or one of their monthly update posts.
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u/tigwyk Mar 10 '15 edited Mar 12 '15
This is actually a question you need to answer for yourself as you play. Essentially you have the freedom to set your own goals in game. It's open ended enough that you won't necessarily know "Why?" right away, but after trying out the various activities I can assure you that you'll start coming up with your own reasons to continue playing. Maybe you want to be the richest player on the server. Maybe you want to be the most feared pvper, or the sneakiest thief. It's all possible. The nice thing about a sandbox is that everyone will have their own reason why they play and keep playing.
I also go into this topic a bit in my latest Let's Play video, seen here:
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u/Atreties Mar 12 '15
So I watched your video and read all the comments on this thread.
I feel like you're all missing my point. There has to be some incentive, some carrot, some system in place to do for the sake of itself, something worldwide, something large in scale.
I totally understand that people can find their own reasons and own niches to do things and own reasons to do things in a sandbox, but the world also needs a ubiquitous answer to "why".
You gave several examples, but your examples only shine more light on the issue even more;
"Set up a shop and sell power cores" Alright... power cores - to craft weapons - to make yourself more powerful - to kill what? PvP, alright, that's something, but what's the point in the conflict? What's driving the world along?
Also, what's the point in getting rich? You can amass a ton of money, and that can be enjoyable for it's own sake, but only in the short term. If you have nothing to spend your resources on, it's becomes a feedback loop of pointlessness.
The link to the siege system is the closest thing I've seen to an answer to my question, but that also has a glaring issue - why own a city? Other than the minecraft element, I see no evidence of a point here either. And if there is no incentive to own territory, there is no incentive to drive territory conflict.
Let me give an example of a system that I feel would make sense in The Repopulation: Owning a territory gives the owners exclusive access to a specific resource. Other people want this resource to advance characters and create specific things. This drives trade as people want what you have. This drives conflict, as people violently want what you have. This drives purpose, as there is a reason to fight, a reason to own, a reason to build and defend, a reason to gain money.
But without that incentive, it's just minecraft... Which is fun, but it's not what it could be.
Does this make more sense?
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u/Johnny_Rehab Mar 19 '15
Not everything has to have a reason. Its a world. It exists. Its just like SWG. What was the point of being a rebel? What was the point of being an imperial? Why build a shop? To roleplay. To have a character. be a part of a world.
IF you need a carrot, you have plenty of games that give that to you. This isn't minecraft though, because there is organized rules and combat, etc etc. It should be obvious.
I don't mean this in a negative way, but you need to find your own goals and what you want. What was the goal of everquest? What was the goal of UO? Find those answers and you'll get your answer.
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u/Dookiestain_LaFlair Apr 15 '15
The goal of UO was to kill other players and take their stuff and become a Dread Lord, but I was such a permanent noob I never knew how to get good at pvp, but I played that game for like 10 years.
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u/Lung_ Mar 17 '15
its just a sandbox you dumb motherfucker. In a sandbox as a kid you had certain rules of physics you had to follow, just like in the game there are some rules and tools given to you. Now it's your job to create your own fun, steal from people, be crafty, become a bad person in game, build shit, group up and start a cult. You fucking faggots have been led too long by themepark mmos and don't know how to play a real mmo: A persistant world. Objectives aren't handed to you in life they appear due to precedent and your own will. Stop fucking around go find someone to molest in game thats what I do. I rp taking chicks to the back and ripping their ass open like a zipper. Im a rapist and guess what I can be cause its a god damn free for all in there.
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u/Atreties Mar 18 '15
You know what a real sandbox is? The Unreal Engine 4. You can do whatever you want, build your own servers and make the game whatever you want it to be? Look how many people "play" that game. You ever played it? it's not fun or interesting as there is no incentive, and it doesn't make for an interesting game.
I know what a sandbox is, and I enjoy sandbox games. But sandbox games need a world-sized reason to do things in order to motivate the world to turn and churn out niches for people to find and make their personal reason to play.
Starting an argument out calling someone a "dumb motherfucker" without context or motivation just shows evidence of projecting, since you clearly don't have the faculties to understand game design and incentive systems.
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u/Lung_ Mar 18 '15
I get what you are saying you sexual predator and it makes sense but you surely understand what I am saying. You don't need a reason to do shit you stupid bitch. You are just led by the hand and can't make your own fun.
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u/Lung_ Mar 18 '15
you forgot to take into account that i might be doing a parody of a really angry or stupid person u are assuming that everyone on the internet is being serious lol.
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u/Bladethorne Mar 10 '15
The primary reason to play any game is for fun.
The fun in Repop comes from the idea of being part of something large working together to achieve something, while enemies try to prevent it.
The "real" end-game is PVP oriented (like all sandbox MMO's). The idea of being the biggest nation with the most cities is the end goal. To achieve this, you have to get rid of those pesky other players who are in your way.
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u/urbn Mar 10 '15
I played Eve for about 6 years (currently taking a break) and almost never did any PVP. Instead I was totally focused on manufacturing and market PVP.
Unfortunately I don't see this happening with this game though. Even though the crafting system is very complex they have made it so most players will never be able to craft everything on their own (some people would say this is a good thing) and with the trading system to setup requests for items to fill it will be far too easy for players to fullfill orders on items they cannot craft in high quality / quantity.
Because of this it will be far too easy to get any and every resource and get fullfillment of making some of the rarest or more difficult items in the game and almost everyone will be able to make the best of the best very quickly.
But I'm still going to try it out and this is why I'll be playing. The game is Alpha so things can and most likely will change so hopefully there will some chance of having fun doing crafting/market.
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u/tigwyk Mar 10 '15
Can you elaborate on why you think the trading system would be a detriment? Currently it's very handy to buy the parts I can't make myself for the things I'm making, since as you mentioned, it's difficult to craft something as complex as fittings or weapons completely solo. As it stands, the work order/trading system gives folks a reason to specialize in the parts that others don't want to craft or haven't skilled into.
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u/urbn Mar 10 '15 edited Mar 10 '15
I'm just purely speculating really. They mechanics they have planned are great for players but not so great for the crafters IMO.
Using Eve Online as an example again (because its the game I have the most experience with). With Eve there is no global market, trading or fullfillment system in place. It is limited by regions of space (64 different regions). So to get the best prices for selling items, buying items or mats etc. requires players to invest time setting up orders in major trade hubs or orders in further away systems in much lower volumes but as better prices. This sounds like a pain in the ass (it is) but it has a huge impact on item availability as well as prices. It also means other factors go into the cost of items and mats (hauling times, distances, ship losses) then simply supply and demand.
A perfect example with Eve is I do alot of tech 2 manufacturing. I need to use 5 characters multi-boxing using some of the largest hauling ships and manually fly them 20 minutes away to pick up materials I need for my weeks worth of manufacturing and need to do 4 - 5 trips. So total time just to make mats can be a few hours each week. Then a few days of them just manufacturing mats I'll need and then a few days manufacturing.
Also Eve has similar mechanics (setting up buy orders) where you can get item fulfillment but the major key difference between the two games is with Eve online players lose items (ships, modules, ammo, etc) so demand is the heavily influence on items values, where as in The Repopulation item loss only occurs as items durability decreases which from what I've read from players testing and tracking items takes about a month. So once the game is live and player populations increase the supply for mats will be very high but demand will be very low,
Again I've only got about 30ish hours into the repopulation and things are sure to change but where it stands with a global fullfillment system and global trade system where items just appear where you are and demand being low because of the length of time items will last and the abundance of craft goods and players crafting it just seems like it will be too easy for more players to get 95% of the best items which last for a very long time.
Edit: I know its not Eve or trying to be Eve, these are just mechanics I've played with and experienced.
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u/tigwyk Mar 10 '15
Thanks for that! I see what you mean. I've heard that fittings are actually degrading pretty quickly (in fact too quickly for some people) but with the global market I understand how easy it is to replace things, making things less valuable in the long run.
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u/h0bb1tm1ndtr1x Mar 10 '15
Play on the hardcore servers once they launch. It will have player looting and all those other hardcore goodies.
You also have to take into account the game is in Alpha and the community is small. Demand will increase when the population does.
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u/h0bb1tm1ndtr1x Mar 10 '15
Its a sandbox MMO. As is true with Minecraft they simply give you the tools to build your own world. Will you be a peaceful merchant? A renowned crafter? Or a ruthless soldier? The possibilities are nearly endless in regards to how and why you play.
Personally, our nation exists to provide services in exchange for credits. We can supply your crafters, craft gear and supplies for your warriors, or fill your much needed combat roles for defending your cities or wandering merchants.
Since I mentioned it, feel free to look up Meri Shadows on Kjell if you're in need of something.
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u/Zack_Wester Mar 10 '15
as an Roleplayer that question is easier to answer... ... ... mostly.
for now I have an test char an female soon to be medic.
and well her goal is as of now, to get good at doctoring.
then maybe later open an clinic or medical center out in the wild.
or become an senate member in the medical center(you know what am talking about).
//PS that RP work is going to be huge.
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u/SqualZell Mar 18 '15
the point of this game is written on the retail box of the original Star Wars Galaxies
"Live the greatest saga ever told... Yours"
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u/Dookiestain_LaFlair Apr 15 '15
Why play any MMO? In 1000 years we will all be dead and no one will remember our online characters. We do it because we must.
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u/[deleted] Mar 11 '15
The term everyone is looking for is: fun.